Everything's Changing
by bibleboymary4ever
Summary: Will Rory's fragile state effect her well-being? Trory, D/L & Java Junkies. AU
1. Default Chapter

Everything's Changing  
  
Shipping: Trory & Lindsey/Dean  
  
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to ASP, DP & Dorothy Parker Drank Here productions. If I owned anything, why would I write fanfic?  
  
AU-ness: Jess is leaving the Hollow for California early. Tristan was never sent to military school.  
  
Dedication: The Trory's at ORG-Summer, Kath & Michelle. I love the OF's! Lola, thanks so much for beta-ing. Loz, Katherine, Hellie and Lauren. Congrats on graduating, Lauren!  
  
Lindsey Bradford trudged down the empty hall of Stars Hollow High. She was late for chemistry. It wasn't like it was her fault! She had to drive Suzie, her little sister, to school. 'They should stop assigning projects bigger than their heads to eight year olds,' she thought.  
  
"Late again, Miss. Bradford?"  
  
"Uh, yeah? Sorry Mr. Morris. I have a late pass." Lindsey looked up from her backpack and noticed fifty eyes staring out at her. She handed him the pass and quietly slipped into a seat.  
  
Leaning towards the guy next to her, she asked, "What did I miss?"  
  
"He's about to announce the groups for the project," the guy whispered.  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
"Betty, Peter, and Josh. Matt and Lane.." The teacher's monotone voice went on as Lindsey listened intently for her name. Finally, it was announced. "Lindsey and Dean."  
  
'Who's Dean?' Lindsey thought to herself as she looked around the room. It was although she hoped this mystery man would have Dean written on his forehead.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Yes?"  
  
Lindsey felt as though she melted into his deep brown eyes.  
  
He flipped his long hair to the side as he said, "Uh, I'm Dean Forrester. Your partner for the project?"  
  
"Oh, well what exactly is the project? I was kinda late to class."  
  
Dean chuckled lightly. "It wasn't easy to miss your tete a tete with Mr. Morris. He can be a pain sometimes. Well, we have to."  
  
Lindsey stared deep into his eyes. She still had no idea what the project was, but it was okay. Dean would help her maneuver the ways of chemistry.  
  
Gathering up her books, she walked out of the classroom with Dean at her side. Smiling up at him, she asked, "So, when can we get together to work on the project?"  
  
Lindsey saw Dean shrink back and suddenly she was worried. Was she being too forward? But it wasn't like she was asking him out. They did have to work on the project together.  
  
He easily shrugged his broad shoulders and said, "I gotta get to my next class. I'll talk to you later though, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, sure." Lindsey said, slightly in a daze that this guy was actually talking to her.  
  
"Hey Lindz. What's up?" Lindsey's best friend, Katherine, came out from behind her. Katherine had a big grin on. "Lindsssssey. Lindsey Helen Bradford."  
  
"Oh, hi."  
  
"Are you okay, Lindz? You seem a little..out of it."  
  
"I'm not out of it. In fact, I think I may have found my way into it." Lindsey sighed for emphasis as Katherine rolled her eyes, "Dean Forrester. He's just . . . perfect."  
  
Katherine was shell shocked. "Um, you're crushing on Dean?"  
  
"Do you have a problem with that?"  
  
"Noooo. It's just . . . well, he's dating Rory Gilmore."  
  
"Are you sure? I am pretty positive she dumped him a while back for Jess Mariano."  
  
"Why would you think that? Isn't Jess in California?"  
  
"Let's just say I saw them making out at Sookie and Jackson's wedding. She looked pretty into it."  
  
"But her date to the wedding was Dean!"  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"One hundred percent positive!"  
  
"That's so strange. Why would someone do that?"  
  
"Why were you even there, Lindsey?"  
  
"I was helping serve for some extra cash. Why were you there?"  
  
"Distant cousins of Jackson."  
  
"Oh. So you know the infamous Rune?"  
  
"Ugh. Don't even get me started on him."  
  
Lindsey giggled.  
  
Katherine looked at her watch, "Shit, we have to get to second period. I'll see you later."  
  
"Bye."  
  
A few hours later, Lindsey was stepping out of Stars Hollow High and into the sunshine. Soon, a floppy haired brunette was joining her in step.  
  
"So, can you come over tonight?" Dean asked eagerly.  
  
"Uh, I think I can do that. Seven works for me."  
  
"Okay. See you then!"  
  
Dean walked off to join his hockey buddies. Lindsey felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach as she saw one of his teammates, Jake put his arm around his girlfriend. Jake had cheated on Tara with Lindsey's friend, Suzanne, and Tara had never found out. Suzanne was still heart broken. Lindsey made up her mind then and there; she was not going to let Dean take advantage of her. No matter how handsome he was.  
  
In Hartford, Rory was covering the varsity lacrosse game for the Franklin . The bleachers were mostly empty save a few girlfriends and mothers, as the game promised to be a wash. She tapped her notebook and waited for it to start. She wanted to be anywhere other than here. Metal bleachers were uncomfortable but they were worse when you were wearing a skirt. As the team walked out with Tristan DuGrey, Captain, at the lead, Rory snapped to attention.  
  
"Hey Mary." He smirked as they passed her.  
  
"Hi," she said quietly, playing with the hem of her annoying skirt.  
  
He stopped to talk to her as the team started to warm up.  
  
"I have to interview you for the Franklin ."  
  
"Fine, what time's good for you?"  
  
"Whenever. Right after the game would be best."  
  
"Okay. So stick around, and let me shower and change. Unless you want to come into the locker room with me." His eyes twinkled as hers rolled.  
  
"Riiiight. See you outside the locker room after the game. Go warm up, bible boy."  
  
Back in Stars Hollow, Lindsey was excited. She gathered up her oak tag, markers and class notes and got ready to head over to Dean's house. Before she shut the door to her house, she looked around and smiled. It was to her as though a chapter in her life was ending and a new chapter, an older, more mature chapter was beginning. She hoped this chapter would include Dean Forrester.  
  
  
  
Dean was confused. He loved Rory, he really, really did. Hadn't he built her a car? But Lindsey.she was cute. And she had that incredible amount of energy. Rory just liked to read, and stuff. He actually wasn't sure what Rory liked to do. He had noticed Lindsey before in class. She was always the first one with her hand up, always the one willing to stay after class and help the teacher.  
  
Dean shook his head as he heard the doorbell ring. There was no point to him trying to figure this out right now.  
  
Rory and Tristan settled into chairs at Starbucks in Hartford, she with three coffees, and him with one frappucino.  
  
"Oh. Those are yummy. Do you think they'd let me trade a coffee for a frapp?"  
  
"I doubt it, Ror."  
  
She pouted.  
  
He handed her the cup and took a coffee.  
  
"Thank you, Trissy."  
  
"I'll take it back if you call me Trissy again."  
  
"No promises."  
  
"Evil."  
  
"Speaking of evil, I should get some interview done so Paris doesn't chastise me."  
  
"Interview away."  
  
"So how long have you been playing lacrosse?"  
  
"Since kindergarten."  
  
"About how many hours a week do you practice?"  
  
"That's hard to put a figure on. We have team practices for 90 minutes five days a week, and I try to practice on my own or with friends whenever I can."  
  
"Do your parents support your lacrosse playing?"  
  
Tristan stretched his muscular arms and sighed. "My parents and I have a very complicated relationship. They do not support me in anything except academics. They expect me to grow up and attend an Ivy League university and work my way up the ladder at some important business. My dad especially. After a little incident with Duncan and Bowman he threatened to send me to military school in North Carolina. He even went so far as to pack my bags. The only thing that stopped him was scarring the DuGrey name."  
  
Rory was shell-shocked. She had never heard Tristan say that much about his home life, ever. Especially not to her.  
  
Now, they were uncomfortable. Taking her last sip of coffee, Rory looked at her watch.  
  
"Sorry, Tristan. I really have to go now."  
  
"But we didn't even finish the interview! Won't Paris get mad?"  
  
"I can't miss the bus."  
  
"I'll drive you. We can finish the interview in the car."  
  
Her face brightened as she agreed, "Okay."  
  
Walking out the door to Tristan's car, Rory was not surprised at how flashy the black Alfa-Romeo was. Rolling her eyes at his license plate "TRIS" she said, I should have guessed."  
  
"But you didn't." He said as he got into the car.  
  
"Ah well. Wouldn't serve any purpose."  
  
"Yes it would. It would tear you away from your thoughts of me in the shower."  
  
"Please stop putting that mental image in my head."  
  
"You know you love it."  
  
"I do?"  
  
"Oh, yes."  
  
Soon Rory and Tristan were passing the 'Welcome to Stars Hollow' sign. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she thanked Tristan and got out of the car.  
  
Rory felt uneasy. She didn't really understand why Tristan had opened up to her. As far as she knew, not even Paris knew of his home life. She sighed. The guys in her life were confusing. After kissing Jess at the wedding she had mostly ignored him, save a few awkward meals at Luke's. Dean . . . well, Dean was the perfect boyfriend. Perfect in every way, really. Rory did not understand why she was having any doubts about their relationship. Dean was steady like a rock. He was there for her and he would always be there for her. He built her the car and in return, Rory truly loved him. Right?  
  
She heard footsteps behind her. Could it be Kirk? Rory spun around and spotted him.  
  
"Hey Kirk," she said, as cheerfully as she could to Kirk.  
  
"Hello Rory. I'm out for an evening stroll."  
  
"So I see."  
  
"Don't tell my mother. She might send the cat after me."  
  
"Um, okay, Kirk. I won't."  
  
"Thank you, Rory. You are a true friend." Kirk scurried off into the night.  
  
Rory shoved her hands deep into her pocket and looked around her. Spying a shadowy figure up leaning against a tree, she thought, 'God, how freaky is this town at night?'  
  
She walked towards him, it, whoever it happened to be. "Hello?" she questioned of the figure.  
  
"Ror?" The voice questioned back. It was unmistakably Jess.  
  
He took one last drag on his cigarette. It would be his last smoke for a while and he wanted to enjoy it.  
  
Jess joined Rory on a nearby bench and waited. She was the one who should be talking, she had explaining to do.  
  
"Hi Jess."  
  
"How was Washington?"  
  
"It was great! Paris harassed the congressmen, and gained a boyfriend."  
  
"Rory, I don't care about what Paris did. I care about what you did."  
  
She turned away. "I tried to write. I wanted to write. But . . . I couldn't."  
  
"Dean there to knock over your pen?"  
  
"No, no he wasn't."  
  
"Then what was it, Rory? 'Cause I'd really like to know!" Jess' anger was sudden and unexpected. All his emotions were finally coming to play.  
  
Rory whimpered, "Can we take this over to my house? I'm getting a little cold."  
  
"Fine."  
  
They walked, in comforting silence to the porch at the crap shack. Sitting down next to the one she had dreamed of for months, Rory felt oddly uncomfortable. Usually, she and Jess could talk about books and music and things like that. Those conversations seemed to go quickly, but this one? It seemed like they had been staring at their feet for hours.  
  
Jess spoke, "I'm going to California. I'm leaving this hellhole of a town."  
  
"Oh?" Rory didn't know what her reaction should be. Was she supposed to be happy for him or sad that he was leaving? Jess had that sort of effect on her emotions. He always seemed to leave her confused.  
  
"Yep."  
  
Rory looked at her nails, "That's nice. I hope you enjoy yourself there."  
  
Jess stood up, preparing to leave. He obviously wasn't going to get the tearful, romantic good bye he had hoped for. "Bye," he grunted, "have a nice life."  
  
Earlier that night in Stars Hollow, Lindsey and Dean sat down at his dining room table and worked peacefully for the rest of the night except for a few interruptions from Clara, Dean's younger sister.  
  
At about 8 o clock, she came skipping in. "Deeean bean," She squealed.  
  
Dean grunted. "Go away Clara. Lindsey and I are trying to work!"  
  
Clara squinted at Lindsey, "Lindsey? I thought her name was Rory?"  
  
Lindsey, still happy as ever, seized her opportunity, "Rory? Who's that?"  
  
Dean squirmed in his chair and Clara bounded away, her work done. "Rory Gilmore. Rory's my girlfriend."  
  
"Your girlfriend?" Lindsey had received this information earlier in the morning, from Katherine. However, she decided to play along with Dean and play dumb.  
  
"Yep." Dean started to flip through some notes, trying to drone out Lindsey's incessant, squeaky voice.  
  
"But then why did I see her kissing Jess Mariano at Sookie and Jackson Melville's wedding?"  
  
"Are you serious?"  
  
Lindsey looked him straight in the eye, "Swear to God."  
  
Dean stood up and walked towards the door. Grabbing his coat off the hook he stepped outside and into the town square. Lindsey followed him.  
  
"I have to talk to her," he said, "and I need to do it alone. Bye."  
  
Lindsey felt as though he stabbed a knife in her back. Every time she had looked at Dean across the table that night, she felt a little flutter in her heart. Was it love? Maybe she had fallen a little too quickly for Dean. After all, she had only met him this morning. And his feelings for Rory were obviously very strong. But nevertheless, Lindsey had this nagging feeling that she and Dean were perfect for each other. What was he doing with this Gilmore girl anyway? Lindsey thought she was much more compatible with Dean than Rory ever would be. As she stood in the doorframe and watched him stomp off toward Rory's house, she sighed deeply. Would he ever be hers?  
  
Dean's footsteps while approaching the Crap Shack were uncomfortably loud. His work boots squished in the wet leaves of autumn and the laces whipped against the concrete. He tried to concentrate on things like that instead of thinking of what to say to Rory. One thing was for sure, he did not know how to handle this situation.  
  
But when Dean got to the Crap Shack, he discovered Rory on the porch. And she wasn't alone. In fact, she was with the very person whose presence he most dreaded her being in. 


	2. Emotions

Dedication: To Summer, 'cuz she is just the greatest!  
  
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Gilmore Girls.  
  
AN: I won't beg for review, except maybe from Katherine. But, I do love them!  
  
"Rory?" Dean called out as Jess stormed past him and into oblivion.  
  
He joined her on the porch swing. As he made tight fists, he said as calmly as the situation allowed, "We need to talk."  
  
Rory whimpered a weak, "Yes?"  
  
Dean could no longer contain himself as he yelled, "What is wrong with you, Rory? I just find out you kissed Jess at the wedding and now, now you are sitting here with him?! Do you have any idea how much pain I am in right now?"  
  
Rory was breaking inside. Did Dean have any idea what she was going through? She was unsure of whether she wanted to continue with Dean. As Tristan said, they were like the perfect stereotypical couple. But was that what she wanted? Oh-back up! What was she doing thinking of Tristan at a time like this? She needed to break up with Dean. That was her answer.  
  
She sharply inhaled and exhaled, gearing up her confidence for what lay ahead. "No, Dean, I am the one in pain. And I am terminating this relationship right now. Good-bye."  
  
Dean stared at her blankly. 'Huh?' he thought, 'It wasn't supposed to work this way. He was the one who was supposed to dump Rory and leave her depressed. Definitely not the other way around.'  
  
Rory evaded his stare and stood up, preparing to enter the Gilmore home. "Bye Dean," she said.  
  
Rory entered the house and Dean sat there, on her porch. He felt more confused than ever.  
  
As Rory entered her house, she was greeted by a sight she had once dreamed of seeing every day of her life. However, now that she was almost eighteen, seeing her father and her mother together no longer gave her warm fuzzies. She could now acknowledge the pain the both of them felt, while they were together.  
  
Christopher smiled brightly at Rory, but upon seeing her tear stained face, he turned to Lorelai quizzically.  
  
"Oh, sweetie!" Lorelai said, gathering her into her arms.  
  
"Mom," Rory's tears finally flowed. "Dean I dumped him! He found out about Jess and he's such a jealous ass and Jess left for California!" Rory struggled with her words as she attempted to replay the night's events to her mother.  
  
She grabbed a tissue from the coffee table and glanced towards her father. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Sherry & Gigi?"  
  
Chris glanced towards Lorelai. He wasn't used to dealing with an emotional Rory. He usually had the Rory who was excited to see him and who didn't care if his credit card was burned out, as long as she got to see her dear old Dad.  
  
Rory was clearly exasperated, "Sherry thinks you're the greatest thing since sliced bread and even though she may not be my favorite person, I can tell you love each other. GiGi is adorable! You missed my growing up and there is no way in hell you can miss hers. If you throw away these years of her life, then you will always regret it. I can tell on your face right now, you regret missing my childhood. But now is not the time for you to gain it-"  
  
Lorelai cut in, "Hey Hon. I know you're upset and everything but Chris isn't here because he abandoned Sherry & GiGi."  
  
Chris gave Lorelai a knowing smile, as he spoke, "I'm here to invite you to my wedding to Sherry. We'd love if you could be a bridesmaid."  
  
"W-w-what?" Rory was shell-shocked, "A bridesmaid? At your wedding?  
  
"Yes, we would be honored if you accepted. But, the therapist gave us reason to understand why you wouldn't. So it's your decision, Ror."  
  
"Um, okay. I'll do it." Rory gave him a weak smile.  
  
He smiled at his oldest daughter, content that she agreed. Chris knew Sherry would have a fit if she didn't want to be a bridesmaid. Sherry's opinion on Lorelai was basically that she was a slut who was still in love with 'her' Christopher. But, while Chris and Lorelai had waited for Rory that night, it became clearer and clearer to him how painful it was for Lorelai to even be in the same room with him.  
  
Rory broke through his thoughts, "I'm going to bed now. I kinda had a long night."  
  
As they said their good-nights and Rory entered her bedroom, Lorelai found herself sitting alone on the couch with Chris. She absentmindedly wondered what their lives would be like if she had accepted his hurried proposal. At that moment, Lorelai hated Sherry. Why had that bitch gone and gotten pregnant? Hadn't she heard of birth control? Lorelai sighed deeply, forgetting Chris' presence for a split second. As she snapped back to reality, she saw Chris looking at her. No, looking wasn't the right word. He was grinning at her, lustily.  
  
"So, are you going back to Boston now?" Lorelai said, silently praying he wouldn't stay the night. She wasn't sure she could hold in her emotions much longer.  
  
"I was hoping I could stay the night," he replied. "It's pretty late to head back."  
  
"Uh, okay." Lorelai was flustered. "I'll just go get you a blanket."  
  
"Lor-" Chris began.  
  
"No, Chris. No! Okay? You had your chance with me and you're getting married now! So, we can't do anything! I really wish you would just leave now. You always had the funny way of molding my emotions, but I will not let you do it now! Okay?"  
  
Silently, Chris gathered up his jacket and exited the Gilmore home. He was clearly not as welcome as he thought.  
  
Across town, Lindsey lay in bed. Try as she might, she couldn't fall asleep. Lindsey wondered if Dean had broken up with Rory. She knew it was wrong, but she really hoped he had. Lindsey hoped Dean would ask her out. His red varsity jacket would go perfectly with her red & pink pumas. Visions of him taking her to senior prom, of them walking down the halls of Stars Hollow High School with his arm around her waist, and of Lindsey as a bride and Dean as the groom filled her head.  
  
Needless to say, Lindsey slept peacefully that night.  
  
Dean was another story. After sitting on the Gilmore porch long after Rory entered the house, he had finally made his way back home around 1 am. Laying in his bed, staring at the ceiling, Dean contemplated the day's events. School, getting paired up with Lindsey, hockey practice, working with Lindsey, Lindsey telling him about Rory and Jess and then, what should be the most eventful part of his day, getting dumped by Rory. Regardless of the fact that they had been dating on and off for the last year, he felt relieved to not be with her.  
  
Dean had always felt like Rory was a little out of his league, what with her dreams of Harvard and her fancy prep school. Lindsey, well, Lindsey was sweet, kind, honest and gorgeous. She was definitely in his league; Lindsey was more UConn than Ivy League. Dean tossed and turned all night, unsure of his emotions.  
  
The next morning, Rory sat on the bus reading Anna Karenia by Tolstoy. She usually enjoyed the solitude a 6:30 bus ride allowed, and the time she was given to think. But on this particular morning, the silence was suffocating. Rory did her best to ignore her problems, and focus on Anna's. But it wasn't easy. Thoughts of her Mom & Dad, glowing, at Sookie's wedding, of her and Dean's many dates and good times, she thought about her long conversations about music and books with Jess, and she thought about Tristan. Her banter with Tristan, his fights with Dean, and, there was no denying it, Rory thought of Tristan's boyish good looks and his crazy hair.  
  
So, when Rory arrived at Chilton and found Tristan leaning against her locker with a cup of Starbucks, her heart went a flutter. Funny, it never did that with Dean.  
  
"Hey," he said.  
  
"Hi." She replied, a bit meekly.  
  
"I ,uh, brought you this," he said as he handed her the coffee.  
  
She smiled up at him, and took a sip. "Thanks."  
  
He dug his hands into the pockets of his navy slacks. "I was wondering if you would go to Josh's party with me," he said, a bit shyly.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Tristan was surprised. He expected a nasty look, her to spill the mocha on him, but at least a snide reply. He certainly wanted her to agree, but he wasn't so sure she would. But, she had. Rory Gilmore had finally agreed to go out with Tristan DuGurey. To the party of the year, no less.  
  
He unconsciously grinned. "It's on Friday night. I'll pick you up at eight."  
  
"Great," Rory said.  
  
As Rory turned to walk to Physics, Tristan lightly tapped her soldier.  
  
"Wait, what happened to the Beave? Like, is he okay with this?"  
  
Rory's face grew cold, "I don't care if he's okay with it. I dumped him last night."  
  
At Stars Hollow High, the students were just beginning to file in. Lindsey paused at her locker to grab her Chemistry textbook. As she shut it, a pair of sensual brown eyes met hers. The eyes looked tired, and scared. Lindsey stared up at the floppy hair and instantly knew who it was.  
  
"Dean," she said, emotionless.  
  
He did his best to smile at her. "I just wanted to thank you. Not that it mattered, she dumped me."  
  
Lindsey was shocked. "Why?"  
  
He shrugged his broad shoulders as they walked towards Chem., "I don't really want to talk about it."  
  
"Oh, sorry. If I were her I wouldn't have dumped you." Whoops. Did she just say that? Her mother had always told her to think before she spoke. It was funny how Dean affected her thinking abilities.  
  
"Yeah, well you aren't her." He paused at the door. "But, thanks. I probably would never have found out if you hadn't told me."  
  
He was right, she realized. Though Lindsey had broken up one of Stars Hollows cutest couples, she had done a good deed in telling Dean that his girlfriend was a rotten cheater.  
  
And that felt good. 


	3. Chchchchanges

Chapter: Ch-ch-ch-changes!  
  
Chapter Summary: Everyone's lives are changing for the better. JJ, Trory, Minutemen (Dean/Lindsey)  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
  
Dedication: A huge thanks goes to lickergirl {Summer} for her help with Drunk Rory. Lola, as well, for being the best beta ever.  
  
Lindsey pushed open the doors of Stars Hollow High, a newfound confidence surging inside of her. She was late again, but she didn't seem to care. As her feet trod the empty halls, her heart beat faster. Today, Dean was free and she would finally get what she wanted.  
  
Later that night, Rory sat in Tristan's car. She lightly drummed her fingers on the door. Tristan glanced at her, quietly wishing this night would be okay. He remembered what had happened the last time they were at a party together. Hopefully this time, she wouldn't run from him.  
  
As Lindsey put the finishing touches on her makeup, she sighed. Tonight she was finally going to get what she wanted.  
  
Dean sat on his bed, a glum look on his face. He heard from Miss Patty of a flashy black Alfa Romeo picking up Rory. He knew of only one guy who drove that kind of car. Tristan DuGrey. Why the hell was Rory going out with the accountant? Dean knew of only one thing. Revenge. He grabbed his coat, and yelled to his Mom, "I'm going out."  
  
Tristan turned towards the makeshift bar at Josh's house. "Mare, you want a drink?"  
  
Rory smiled slyly, "Sure."  
  
'Humph,' Tristan thought, 'Mary is accepting an alcoholic beverage? Wow. I wonder if she has ever even drunk before.'  
  
Tristan picked up two shots and handed one to Rory. As she quickly gulped it down, he watched her.  
  
"Slow down, Ror," he said. "We have all night."  
  
She thrust the empty glass back at him. "Can I pleeease have another one?"  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Slow down. I don't think you know what you're doing."  
  
She lightly punched his arm, "Trissssssssy! Of course I know what I'm doing!"  
  
Tristan looked around. He willed that no one else was observing Rory Gilmore drinking multiple tequila shots. He knew this was something Madeline and Louise would love to see.  
  
After she downed the third shot, he pulled her by the arm into the vacant library. In other situations, she would have come in here willingly, but tonight this was not the case.  
  
"Uh, you just stay here, okay?" he said.  
  
"Yeah, whatever."  
  
He ventured back out into the party, Kylie Minogue bursting through his ears. Regardless of what he had told Rory, he needed a drink. He grabbed two shots off the table and quickly went back into the library. He avoided the looks of his classmates, who obviously thought he was on a drinking rampage. From the way he was sneaking into the library, a tequila shot in each hand, he wasn't surprised.  
  
Sighing, he quickly shut the large oak door of the library. Rory was playing with her hair.  
  
"Here," he said, "just drink this." Tristan knew that if she was in a drinking mood..well, that she would drink. There was no holding her back. He had learned from experience.  
  
She gulped it down. "It's just, Tristan, I'm so confused."  
  
He squirmed, "Uh, what are you confused about?"  
  
"Guys."  
  
Tristan was no expert on guys. Despite the fact that he was one and all, he was no couples psychologist.  
  
"Er . . . right," he said. It was all he could say. What was he supposed to say when the girl he'd been crushing on for over a year had a breakdown at a party over other guys? Not even just one guy, but the plural? Tristan needed some more tequila.  
  
"I don't usually break down like this." Rory sobbed between her words. "I don't know what's wrong with me."  
  
'I do,' Tristan thought, 'you're drunk.'  
  
She took another sip.  
  
Tristan grabbed the shot glass from her grip. "No," he told her firmly, "Drinking will not solve any problems. If anything, it will create more. " He paused and averted her glance. "Trust me, I know from experience."  
  
"Oh." Rory said simply. She giggled, "You know how last time we went to a party we kissed and I ran away?"  
  
"Er.yeah." It was one of those memories Tristan would rather forget.  
  
"Well, I had broken up with Dean because I couldn't say 'I love you' to him. But when you kissed me, I realized not only could I not say it.I couldn't mean it."  
  
Tristan was shell shocked. He had wished and dreamed about this revelation, but he frankly didn't expect it while she was drunk. His dream scenario featured Rory running towards him with her arms open and him kissing her passionately. As he tried to rid himself of that thought, Rory continued to blabber on.  
  
"So, then I got back together with him. I just didn't know what else to do, you know? But Luke's nephew Jess moved to Stars Hollow, and we became really good friends. I went to see him when he was sent back to New York City. I skipped school to see him! Then, he came back and I kissed him at Sookie's wedding. Next day, I left for Washington with Paris."  
  
Tristan had no idea about any of this. He had heard snippets about Jess, and he certainly knew about her trip to Washington. The day Rory skipped school was a momentous occasion to him and all his fellow Chiltonites. He had wondered what her reason was. But.her kissing him? The thought made his stomach churn.  
  
He swallowed hard, "What happened next?"  
  
"I've kinda been avoiding him since then. Last night, I saw him and he told me he's moving to California."  
  
Tristan couldn't help but feel relieved.  
  
"I feel really bad about this, but I'm almost relieved. I mean, if he didn't leave then I would have so much more shit to deal with. You're the guy I want to be with, the guy I've always wanted to be with." Rory covered her face in her hands, quietly sobbing.  
  
Tristan scooted closer next to her, wondering what he was supposed to do. As he softly patted her head, he tried to soothe her. Gathering her up in his arms, he murmured, ' Don't worry, Ror. I'm here with you now, and everything's going to be okay. Everything's changing, but I am a hundred percent positive that it's for the better."  
  
She snuggled in closer against his chest, and her breathing became steady. Tristan relaxed as he continued to stroke her silky hair.  
  
Everything was going to be okay.  
  
Lindsey whispered in Dean's ear, 'Let's go somewhere a little more quiet.'  
  
Dean signaled to his friends that he was leaving.  
  
They left, hand in hand, and headed towards the gazebo. Dean felt happy with her, an emotion he hadn't experienced with Rory since they started dating. He was content with Lindsey, too. She was, in all honesty, his academic and social equal. Dean could think of no reasons why they wouldn't be happy together.  
  
He smiled at her and they sat down on the bench. She snuggled next to him, "What's your biggest secret?" She giggled at her childish question. But, she honestly wanted to know. Lindsey wanted to know every detail there was to know about him. She wanted to know his first kiss, his first crush. She wanted to know who his first best friend was, all the places he lived, all the places he wanted to visit. Lindsey wanted to know what his life's ambitions were, because she wanted to be a part of them.  
  
He smiled at her. "My biggest secret is that I really want to kiss you right now," he said sheepishly.  
  
Lindsey smiled back, "By all means, go right ahead."  
  
Their lips met in a kiss, full of promise and hope for the future. It was a moment they'd remember all their lives.  
  
Lorelai paced around the diner, "Where the hell could she be, Luke? She was supposed to come home over an hour ago!"  
  
Luke tried to calm her, "Don't worry. Rory's a good girl. She's not going to do anything stupid."  
  
Lorelai flared her arms, "I'm not worried about Rory. I'm worried about that DuGrey boy and his influence over her!"  
  
"It's only their first date. It's a party! He won't try anything at a party, with lots of other kids."  
  
"Don't you see? The fact that it's a party makes it worse! He'll take her up into some random bedroom. I know what goes on at those parties. Hell, I went to plenty when I was sixteen. They have drugs, alchohol and plenty of sex."  
  
Luke frowned, "You have no need to worry about her! She's a great kid. Really." Luke sounded as though he was trying to convince himself as much as Lorelai.  
  
She sighed deeply in return, "I guess I'll know in a few hours. I'm just going to go back home now." Impulsively, she reached over the counter and kissed his cheek. "Thanks."  
  
As Lorelai left the door, the bells above it chimed. Luke thought that the sound must be mirroring that of his heartbeat. He rubbed his cheek. She had never done that before. Every time she greeted Christopher, she kissed him on the cheek. But, then again, she had slept with him. Plenty of times. For them, a kiss on the cheek wasn't a big deal.  
  
But Luke and Lorelai? Was their relationship changing for the better? 


End file.
